Search
shop

Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack delivers BRUTAL verdict on Collin Chartier doping scandal

"When a donkey becomes a racehorse, maybe you need to question it"
Editor-In-Chief
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Most of triathlon’s big names have given their reaction to the shock news that Collin Chartier is banned from triathlon for three years due to a positive test for EPO. And now we can add two-time Kona king Chris McCormack to the list.

The Australian star provided a brutal verdict on last week’s bombshell news when he spoke to Super League Triathlon’s Short Chute Show this week. And he was scathing in his criticism of the 29-year-old Chartier.

Advertisement

Macca on Chartier drugs shame

“You can say sorry as much as you like, but it was quite heavy. You made a decision and you took, now question marks around everything you’ve ever done. But that decision to cheat is just, within sport, within anything, it’s just not right.

“I think it’s created a lot of uproar, and that was it. I mean come on Collin.”

Chartier of course had enjoyed something of a meteoric rise during the second half of 2022, highlighted by his victory in the lucrative PTO US Open in Dallas in September. At that stage McCormack believed Chartier might be a star of the future, but now of course he holds a very, very different perspective on what transpired.

‘From a donkey to a racehorse’

He explained: “I was looking at this athlete and we saw his performance there at the PTO, his run there was amazing at the PTO US Open. He won IRONMAN Mont Tremblant against Josh Amberger.

“He was definitely an athlete on the rise, and he came from nowhere. Not from nowhere, but I was like wow, this is an athlete that’s potentially a big player in the future.

“He was training with Lionel Sanders and doing a lot of great stuff, and then bang, p*** is positive and it’s game over.

“I guess the question mark is, sometimes when a donkey becomes a racehorse, maybe you need to question it.”

Graham Shaw
Written by
Graham Shaw
Graham has been involved with TRI247 & RUN247 since the summer of 2021. Since then he has provided strategic direction for all news and is passionate about the growth of triathlon as a fan sport.
Discover more
TRI247 podcast p/b Challenge Family episode 2
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
Cadomotus Chronos triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Challenge Family Roth
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
Sam Laidlow celebrates Challenge Roth win 2025
Challenge Roth 2025 men’s results: INCREDIBLE comeback win for Sam Laidlow
Laura Philipp celebrates Challenge Roth win 2025
Challenge Roth 2025 women’s results: World Champion Laura Philipp a class apart
Sam Laidlow Challenge Roth run 2025
WATCH AGAIN: Challenge Roth 2025 as Philipp and Laidlow take centre stage
Julie Derron wins T100 San Francisco 2025
Olympic medallist and T100 winner reveals she’s stepping up to full distance next
Sam Laidlow Challenge Roth press conference 2025
Challenge Roth 2025: Laidlow prompts groundbreaking move as Race Ranger data will be made public
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...